Odyssey of the Guardian Emperor

five hills, aptly named the Five Hills, situat

as though even the world h

wind didn't whistle. Only the ominous caw

th lingered, thic

orward, knees buckling under the weight of a

orrisome at best and they were covered in wounds, their cloth

, wished it was a bear. Perhaps they coul

nacing teeth still flashed through his eyes. Its roar, a rusty deranged cackle that

, was a tall graceful feminine figure of a knight stood at

eld a small sleeping boy with fiery hai

at belied the weight of her armour. Her eyes, hidden behind the

At her side, a girl held onto her free hand

knight, the girl and the little b

the events of the past hour flashed

ttack. The palpable feeling of helplessness that

sh as the demon mercilessly eviscerated th

n but a mere cub, inca

o the fact that he'd survived an

w getting obstructed from view by a human body

tion. The sight played on repeat as though he wa

nuff out the life of his friend, who'd been a lot older than h

rance of the tall graceful knight, t

ied woods. Having shed most of their leaves, the trees carried an omino

than ideal but she wished to give him time to let his tears flow. A s

ed grim... but the weeping boy she was looking at hadn't even once paused to re

have given up a long time ago... and yet he forged for

a fact that he was

he way her mast

The familiar change in landscape was a signal to the children that home was not so far. Thi

laric stood still, looking up at the hill they were meant to climb. T

rward," her sof

ly damaged shoes. His legs wouldn't budge and h

excruciating one. He would have to face

ed up in fear. A beautiful lady with white hair dressed in an old apron

to see. The face of Sister Marla, their caretaker. The very pers

hildren she loved so dearly. Alaric's heart beat faste

.. 'I'm the reason Ja

e blac

....

oy came to in a familiar small bed. The roof above him was dilapidat

o him. But with it came a dam of memories. Alaric bit bac

,] a feminine voice sudden

and pulled himself to

ts. You don't have to shout,] the voice came

e from it. He'd seen this mist once before... but that was a memory

f a human which solidified to form a tall fe

between his knees, "Alaric... I t

olite to pry," Alia rep

m the guardian, "Thank

it's part of the job,"

o manifest at the age of

.." the knig

himself in the eye if he had a mirror. No, he was far too... ashamed

ng hurt, both in his body and his

f for Jared's death,

uldn't pry," Alaric s

you is part of my job,

went

eting my powerful master. 'The prince,' they said. Then I find you, a helpless li

hing was a monster!

head turned away from the knight, "Then why

ch a wimp! All you've done sin

not w

like the prince you're meant

'm no one," Alaric

m to smell the dark metal that formed the vis

ay with that? He didn't know why it meant so much to him. He didn't know where t

N

" the guardian smirked, "Ther

with you by my si

guardian. You must be strong so that something like this won't ever h